Change of style next season?

[TheFinnFan]

That's the problem with Cleverly and Barkley playing in the two central positions of a 4-3-3. They aren't exactly Xavi and Iniesta.

But theres new #10 coming in

 

[strummer]

Whatever happened to box to box midfielders. How come they have to be predominantly attacking or defensive players nowadays.seeing a midfielder who can't tackle.or 1 who's almost a 3rd centre back drives me mad

 

[hktoffee]

There will still be a lot of tippy tappy, sideway passing with no penetration footie. 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3, we have to move the ball a lot faster when attacking.

 

[davids]

I'd rather see Barkley playing his preferred position,just behind the striker.The way he was giving the ball away this last season,happier if he was not too close to our penalty box too often.

 

[Saint Domingo]

Whatever happened to box to box midfielders. How come they have to be predominantly attacking or defensive players nowadays.seeing a midfielder who can't tackle.or 1 who's almost a 3rd centre back drives me mad

Agreed all that happens is you have a massive gap between your midfielders meaning someone like Barry is having to play a 30 yard pass to get it into Barkley's feet even though they're supposed to both be playing midfield.

People are always desperately trying to copy Barcelona but no one seems to pick up that Busquets Xavi and Iniesta are only ever a 5 yard pass away from each other.

 

[Jimmywhack]

If we start the season with a midfield 3 of Cleverley, Mcarthy and Barry the other 8 players may as well toddle off home

 

[Saint Domingo]

I'd rather see Barkley playing his preferred position,just behind the striker.The way he was giving the ball away this last season,happier if he was not too close to our penalty box too often.

Remember how he played v QPRvthis season though, or the second half of last season's home Derby? He was sat deep and barely misplaced a pass. He was running past players and making chances. Him and McCarthy tore Liverpool open in that 30 minute spell and we could have easily won 5-2 with better finishing. Barry hives the ball away loads and is ran past all the time but because he is 34 this seems to be ok and he's trusted in the position a bit like Neville before him.

In the QPR game Barkley and Bedic played on the halfway line winning the ball high up the pitch and tracking runners up and down. They allowed Stones to bring it out and made chances. Barry and McCarthy fit far too close to the centrebacks which results in average midfield a getting the run of the pitch and us finding it difficult to win the ball back.

Barkley in the deeper role is the way we get the best Ross Barkley and the best Everton. Sadly he'll probably leave to get success elsewhere before Roberto ever twigs on.

 

[sageyefc]

Remember how he played v QPRvthis season though, or the second half of last season's home Derby? He was sat deep and barely misplaced a pass. He was running past players and making chances. Him and McCarthy tore Liverpool open in that 30 minute spell and we could have easily won 5-2 with better finishing. Barry hives the ball away loads and is ran past all the time but because he is 34 this seems to be ok and he's trusted in the position a bit like Neville before him.

In the QPR game Barkley and Bedic played on the halfway line winning the ball high up the pitch and tracking runners up and down. They allowed Stones to bring it out and made chances. Barry and McCarthy fit far too close to the centrebacks which results in average midfield a getting the run of the pitch and us finding it difficult to win the ball back.

Barkley in the deeper role is the way we get the best Ross Barkley and the best Everton. Sadly he'll probably leave to get success elsewhere before Roberto ever twigs on.

2 games though, theres been plenty of times he drops deep of a match and loses the ball and he has no bottle going into challenges. Agree thats where we should be putting him eventually but it how do we ease him into it without just chucking him in

 

[strummer]

Agreed all that happens is you have a massive gap between your midfielders meaning someone like Barry is having to play a 30 yard pass to get it into Barkley's feet even though they're supposed to both be playing midfield.

People are always desperately trying to copy Barcelona but no one seems to pick up that Busquets Xavi and Iniesta are only ever a 5 yard pass away from each other.

Agreed mate .don't like the idea of having 3 central midfielders cos it means playing with 1 striker.we desperately need more goal threat instead of hoping lukaku can do it in every game. I guess that's an old fashioned viewpoint though

 

[Liamliverpool86]

Am with the growing firm who think we should establish a ' chelsea' esque formation if we can get lennon / gerry then it is perfect for us

 

[Saint Domingo]

Am with the growing firm who think we should establish a ' chelsea' esque formation if we can get lennon / gerry then it is perfect for us

Martinez will never do it. Mourinho's centrebacks barely move in a match and his full backs always stay behind the ball. His holding mid then just sits in front. Our centrebacks split wide into the full back areas, our full backs are the furthest wide players and a 34 year old midfielder sits in the middle of the box defending by himself, no wonder we're all over the show. Good teams start from the back which is why we're not a good team.

 

[Liamliverpool86]

Martinez will never do it. Mourinho's centrebacks barely move in a match and his full backs always stay behind the ball. His holding mid then just sits in front. Our centrebacks split wide into the full back areas, our full backs are the furthest wide players and a 34 year old midfielder sits in the middle of the box defending by himself, no wonder we're all over the show. Good teams start from the back which is why we're not a good team.

Fair point

 

[bainesontoast]

A midfield three of McCarthy, Cleverley (?) and Barkley. The former two will be under strict instructions to keep it nice and simple in midfield and to get the ball to the wide players as quickly as possible - probably for the best considering both of them fall to pieces when in front of goal. Barkley, of course, will have license to roam and given the freedom to do his flair thing.

 

[davek]

Majority of teams in the world play 4-2-3-1 and it's the most boring formation I've ever seen in my life. I would only advocate that formation - or even 5 at the back - against the big teams. Prime example of it's failings - and Martinez's reluctance to be flexible - was Sunderland at home. Completely dominated that game yet played with two defensive midfielders?

Pushed McCarthy on (as he did all through the run in) and we created a lot of chances that weren't taken in that game.

 

[davek]

I can't see him changing.

But god I wish we didn't always play two defensive midfielders at home to the poorer sides.

There's certainly a time for it, but not always.

Everton 'playing two defensive midfielders' is always a lazy analysis. I think the heat map for the pair in almost every game would suggest otherwise...especially McCarthy's.